Mentor's Northcoast Laser Cosmetics can help you recapture the beauty of youth

By Mimi Vanderhaven

Although standards of beauty change over the centuries, there is one characteristic forever at the heart of attractiveness: youthfulness. And for both men and women, nothing exemplifies youth more than smooth, clear skin and a toned body.

Ah, but the enemies of youth are great—time, gravity and the sun’s damaging rays—all leaving their mark, such as fine lines and wrinkles, blemishes, and those stubborn fat deposits that just won’t go away no matter how much we diet and exercise.

But there’s good news. Today’s leading-edge aesthetics treatments really can turn back the hands of the clock. The key is choosing the right facility, one that combines the latest high-tech equipment with years of hands-on experience.

High-tech, Low-pressure
Northcoast Laser Cosmetics is a physician-based aesthetics center that’s been giving its clients smoother, more attractive skin since 2002, and not only does it offer today’s leading-edge procedures, its staff stays up-to-date with ongoing continuing education. Moreover, it’s locally owned by a team of physicians, including Medical Director Richard Kucera, M.D., which means there are no corporate-mandated sales goals.

“The number one compliment we get is our customer service,” says Barb Primozic, an R.N. and Certified Aesthetic Consultant. “And that’s because there is no high pressure. We don’t have numbers to hit. We simply do what’s best for each client.”

Although Northcoast Laser Cosmetics offers a wide variety of aesthetics treatments (see their website for more details), here, Mimi will focus on two of them:

CoolSculpting
By now you’ve likely heard of CoolSculpting, a patented medical procedure that promises to “freeze away fat.” Although that may seem like a tall order, it really does work, especially when administered by a medical professional with plenty of experience.

Although CoolSculpting has been touted by everyone from Oprah to Dr. Oz to ABC’s Nightline, here’s even more evidence of its effectiveness: There are hundreds of CoolSculpting clinics located within zip code 90210.

That is, Beverly Hills.

“The science behind CoolSculpting is the fact fat, muscle, and skin freeze at different temperatures,” explains Dr. Kucera. “This means we can freeze the fat without damaging skin and muscle tissue.”

The staff at Northcoast Laser Cosmetics freezes targeted areas of fat on both men and women, including love handles, bra fat, inner and outer thighs, and the belly pooch.

“Plus, a newly FDA-approved area we can now address is the double chin,” Dr. Kucera advises.

The low temperature causes the fat cells to crystalize—to form ice crystals—which kills them. The body then eliminates the dead fat cells over time as metabolic waste. In fact, the inspiration for CoolSculpting was a Harvard University study aimed at determining why dimples were present in children who ate popsicles.

The in-office procedure takes about an hour for each targeted area and, unlike traditional weight loss, the results are permanent.

“We each have the same number of fat cells in our body today as we did the day we were born,” Dr. Kucera explains. “These cells expand and contract to store and release calories. When the targeted fat cells are killed, they never come back.”

But CoolSculpting isn’t for everyone. “It’s not a miracle weight loss procedure,” cautions Barb, a Registered Nurse who has advanced education from CoolSculpting University.

“It’s for men and women who are at or near their target weight but have stubborn areas of fat that won’t go away. It’s an ideal way to achieve the striking hour-glass figure for women, and the classic V-shape for men.”

The price for the procedure is set by CoolSculpting.

“No clinic can offer it for a lower price,” says Dr. Kucera. “The significant difference in choosing our clinic is the experience and expertise of our advancely trained staff.”

Radio Frequency Technology
The secret to youthful-looking skin, says Dr. Kucera, is to take advantage of the body’s own natural rejuvenation abilities. “In the dermis is where we produce collagen and elastin,” he explains.

“That’s what keeps our skin smooth, tight and plump. Our aim is to apply a controlled injury to the skin which puts your body into ‘repair mode,’ thus encouraging the production of more collagen and elastin. The resulting skin rejuvenation improves texture and tone without invasive surgery.”

One of the newest advancements in delivering “controlled injury” to the skin is Radio Frequency Technology which the staff at Northcoast Laser Cosmetics administers via two different procedures—Infini and RF Pixel.

“Infini involves both Radio Frequency Technology and micro-needling,” Barb says.

“We insert the micro-needles into the dermis then deliver the radio frequency through the tips of the needles. There is some minor discomfort and downtime is less than 24 hours, so you can be back at work the next day. RF Pixel, on the other hand, delivers the radio frequency without needles. Instead, the energy is applied when the radio frequency arcs as a result of the skin’s moisture content. It’s less aggressive than Infini.”

Regardless of which procedure you choose, you may want to opt for PRP, which helps the skin heal faster. PRP stands for “platelet-rich plasma.” It’s created using your own blood and is applied to your skin after treatment where its healing components and growth factors stimulate skin repair.

“It makes a big difference afterward,” Barb adds. “It cools down the burning effect and speeds and enhances healing.”

Clients can see a difference after just one treatment, but most opt to maximize the results with three to four treatments.

“It’s been wonderful to see so many technological advances in our field over the years,” Barb concludes.

“Now it’s easier than ever to maintain a youthful-looking appearance without surgery. Best of all, our clients can reduce the amount of makeup they have to wear even as they age. And that’s a beautiful, beautiful thing.”

Northcoast Laser Cosmetics is located in Mentor at 9500 Mentor Avenue. Find them in Suite 130 inside the Lake Ambulatory Care Center, across from Kohl’s. For a free initial consultation, call 440-639-3223 or find out more at NorthcoastLaser.com.